Rev. Rul. 59-57

Any individual who makes a contribution or gift in excess of $3,000 in any one calendar year to a political party or to a candidate for public office must file a Federal Gift Tax Return, Form 709. To the extent that such a contribution or gift is in excess of $3,000 it may be applied against all or any unused portion of the $30,000 lifetime specific exemption authorized by section 2521 of the Code. The gift splitting provisions of section 2513 of the Code provide that contributions or gifts made by a husband or a wife to a third party are considered as made one-half by each spouse under specified conditions. Thus, in such a situation, a gift of $6,000 can be made without any portion of the gift being applied against the specific exemption. A contribution to a political party or to any candidate for public office does not constitute a gift to or for the use of the United States, or any State, Territory, or political subdivision thereof, for exclusively public purposes within the meaning of section 2522(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Accordingly, a contribution made to a political party or to any candidate for public office is not allowable as a deductible contribution for gift tax purposes under section 2522 of the Code.